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- Top 8 Vegetables To Grow In Containers This Winter
With the busy autumn harvest now drawing to a close, you could be forgiven for wanting to retire your garden trowel over the next few months. But the colder months present a whole new array of tasty and nutritious vegetables that can be over-wintered, ready to be harvested just a few months later.
We’ve selected our eight favourite healthy winter vegetables that thrive in containers and pack a nutritious punch.
Why?
Carrots are a ‘super food’, providing a wealth of nutritious benefits. As well as being a good source of fibre, potassium and vitamin C, it’s the beta carotene found in all carrot varieties that makes them so healthy. This antioxidant not only converts vitamin A in the body and helps to improve vision, it also helps to reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Growing tips
Plant winter carrots approximately three months before the first signs of frost. Remember that carrot root lengths range from a couple of inches to almost a foot, so choose a container, pot or planter that is deep enough to accommodate.
We recommend
Our Small Crucible planter will provide the depth needed for your winter carrots to thrive.
Why?
You won’t need to step outside to grow these nutritional and versatile tiny vegetables. Microgreens are young vegetable greens that are approximately 1–3 inches tall. With an aromatic flavour and concentrated nutrient content, they are available in a variety of colours and textures.
Growing tips
Evenly scatter your microgreen seeds onto potting compost or coconut coir, inside a container. A small biodegradable plant pot with drainage holes placed inside a larger pot is ideal. Water regularly, being careful not to oversaturate the soil. A sunny windowsill is the ideal spot for growing all microgreens.
We recommend
Our contemporary cube collection includes windowsill-sized planters that are the perfect size for your diminutive veggies: Block, Key, Puzzle, Rib and Strap.
Why?
Onions have been around since the Bronze Age and they are still providing a whole host of health benefits today. The strong anti-inflammatory properties found in onions can protect against blood clots as well as reducing high blood pressure. The antioxidants found in onions can even help to fight inflammation and reduce cholesterol levels.
Growing tips
The staple over-wintering vegetable, onions are hardy and can survive even the harshest of conditions. Try to plant as early in the season as possible and feed once between autumn and Christmas, then again throughout the growing season the next year.
We recommend
Grow in a container at least 25cm deep and with enough growing room to accommodate your mature plants. Our Haddonstone Box planter would work well.
Why?
As well as offering a colourful spectacle, Swiss chard is a nutritional powerhouse, containing magnesium, potassium, iron, fibre and vitamins C, A and K. Chard will boost energy, improve the skin and can also help to combat cancer.
Growing tips
Swiss chard is semi-tolerant to frost. It can withstand a few cold snaps, but is best placed in a sheltered area of the garden, or protecting with a cover during very harsh winters.
We recommend
Pick a planter that will provide at least 25cm depth for the roots. We think the pretty stalks and vibrant leaves of Swiss chard would crown our Ionian Jardiniere beautifully!
Why?
Known as one of the healthiest vegetables on earth, kale is nutrient-dense and packs a wholesome punch. Curly and flat kale hail from Roman times and are proven to support brain development, the immune system, vision, bone density. If that’s not a good enough reason to choose this super food, it also helps lower cholesterol and prevent some cancers.
Growing tips
Kale thrives in mild winters and can also withstand freezing conditions, as long as it’s covered over or transferred to an unheated greenhouse. If planting in a container, ensure there is plenty of drainage and use fertile soil. A sunny spot in your garden and keeping your kale well-fed will encourage growth.
We recommend
Kale likes to stretch out, so choose a large planter with a depth of around 20 inches. Our Large Heritage Planter will work a treat.
Why?
The humble potato is one of the most versatile winter vegetables and is also one of the easiest to grow. Full of fibre, potatoes can contribute to keeping cholesterol low and blood sugar levels steady. They are also packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, so support our general physical health.
Growing tips
Given enough light and protection from harsh frosts and snow, your potato crop will be able to withstand the colder months of winter. Plant in autumn and harvest 12 weeks later. Timed correctly, your potatoes could be ready for the Christmas table! Keep soil well-drained and use fertile compost.
We recommend
Why?
Did you know? Lettuce is part of the daisy family. What’s more, as well as being the mainstay of almost any salad, lettuce offers lots of nutritious benefits too. Research has shown that lettuce can help improve sleep, vision and contribute to our daily intake of vitamin A, K and C. Made up of 95% water, eating lettuce helps to hydrate the body.
Growing tips
Plant young winter lettuce plants between August and November. For a continuous crop, plant out fortnightly for a continuous crop throughout the season. Cloche small plants to protect from severe frosts and snow.
We recommend
Lettuce have shallow roots, so won’t need a very deep container to thrive. Grow your lettuce crop in our Plaited Trough for an alternative winter container idea.
Why?
Brisk-growing beetroot is one of the fastest-growing container vegetables. A cool-weather crop, beetroot can be grown in planters from late autumn, through winter and even in early spring. Packed full of potassium, iron and vitamin C, its numerous benefits include helping to reduce blood pressure.
Growing tips
It’s best to choose a planter large enough to contain your beets when they reach maturity and will be competing for space. This is especially important with most beetroot varieties that prefer not to be transplanted from one container to another. If growing from seeds, remember to thin out your beetroot seedlings to ensure a quality yield.
We recommend
A large, long trough like our Arabesque Trough.
Why?
Packed full of antioxidants, rhubarb has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory properties, as well as being proven to protect against heart disease, cancer and diabetes. A surprisingly versatile fruit, rhubarb is delicious stewed, or as the star of a hearty crumble or pie. It can also be used to make cocktails, ice creams or jam.
Growing tips
Guarantee an early harvest of tender rhubarb by covering young plants with a forcer in late winter. The crop will be ready in early spring.
We recommend
Our Rhubarb Forcer is ideal for helping your rhubarb plants on their way to glory.
Our Home and Garden team are available to help you select the right winter containers for your garden (and your growing ambitions!)
They are on-hand five days a week to walk you through all the options we have available.
Contact our team using the details below, or arrange a call back at your convenience.
Call: 01604 770 711
Email: [email protected]
Whether you’re working on a private residential or large commercial project, or if you are interested in home and garden products, our friendly and expert team are happy to discuss your requirements.